


Turning Point, The

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Humor, Pre-White House (West Wing), Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-06-24
Updated: 2006-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-31 10:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15117860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: "You have plenty of substantive things to contribute to the conversation.  The eye candy...it's a bonus."





	Turning Point, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  
Author's notes: For Gracie, on her 21st birthday.  


* * *

Leo watched her from across the room, not sure if she noticed, not sure he could stop if she did. She twirled her hair around her finger, an involuntary thing for most women when engrossed, and read financial disclosure reports. An open can of Diet Pepsi sat beside her and occasionally she would dig a pretzel from the bag on her desk and munch on it. Leo watched her and tried to swallow the feelings that he was a voyeur…tried to make himself forget he would be thinking of her naked tonight as he jerked off. The words ‘dirty old man’ were invented for this type of behavior.

“Claudia Jean!”

The booming voice of Josh Lyman brought Leo out of his fantasies.

“Yo!”

“Do you have all the financial reports?”

“Yeah. Aren’t you supposed to be on your way to Connecticut?”

“I'm going; seriously I am walking out the door right now.”

He was rushing around, stuffing things in a backpack. CJ watched him with an amused grin.

“You're going to see your mother for a couple of days…leave that stuff, would you?”

“I need to be up on the schedule and the speeches. We have to get some political liaisons when I get back and…”

“Josh, go.”

“I just need…five more minutes…”

“Leo!”

“What?” he snapped out of his thoughts.

“Get Josh out of here, before he misses his plane.”

“Yeah.”

He walked over, took Josh by the arm, and they went outside together. With a little laugh, she went back to her paperwork.

“Now that he is finally gone, I can make some sense of his office.” Donna said, walking by with two storage boxes.

“Good luck with that.” CJ replied. “There are more boxes where those came from.”

It was Thursday and while most would be excited about the weekend ahead, CJ knew she would be right here tomorrow and the next day. They were in the game now. Bartlet had defeated Hoynes; he was the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. In November he would face Mitchell Dobson, the very popular conservative Congressman from California. John Hoynes accepted the Vice-Presidential nomination but CJ would have done better with never seeing him again. He had his own people, was practically running his own campaign…Leo already had to rein him in several times.

“Is something on your mind?”

“What?”

CJ looked up at Leo, wearing a concerned look on his face but a smile. She returned it.

“Is something on your mind?” he asked again.

“Honestly?”

“Yeah.”

He sat on the edge of her desk as CJ leaned back in the chair.

“It is another gorgeous weekend and I am working. I am always working. I have endured a long winter and I want to enjoy sunshine and warmth for a couple of days. Sam and Toby are going to be locked up with the Pittsburgh speech most of the time, and Josh is gone. I've nailed down radio, TV, and print for the next two weeks and I am sick to death of looking at financial disclosures. I need a day off Leo. I hate to ask…I know how busy we are.”

“We are not going to be able to run a winning campaign if you guys are falling asleep in your chairs.” He said. “How about a compromise?”

“OK.” CJ didn’t think a compromise would entail her getting a day off.

“You want to take a drive with me?”

“Where?”

“New York City. I have a meeting there tomorrow for some possible contributions and I was going to have a nice dinner afterward. Thought about even going to the Met on Saturday to see the Degas exhibit before it left town. Come with me; take a load off.”

“Are you kidding?” CJ sat up in her chair.

“No, it’s a break but it is still technically work. Could kill two birds with one stone.”

“I don’t know. It seems a bit improper Leo.”

“Does it?”

“Doesn’t it?”

“No. Wear a nice dress, smile, schmooze, get a free meal and stay in a nice hotel. If we’re lucky we will be coming back with a lot of money.”

“I meant the hotel part.”

“We can drive back to Manchester Friday night if you'd like, but that would kill the day off theory. You can say no…I was just trying to help.”

“No.” she put her hand on his arm and smiled. Her smile delighted him. “You are helping. I would love to go. Can I drive?”

“No.”

“Please.” She pouted and put her hands together as if praying. It took all Leo had to hold it together.

“I'm not very good in the passenger seat. I have a driver so I don’t get to rule the road as much as I used to. We’ll discuss it on the way back.”

“Great.” She smiled again. “Thank you Leo.”

“I don’t mind at all. I would love your company.”

He went to walk away and CJ stopped him.

“Just you and me right? You are not going to spring Toby on me at the last minute are you?”

“Just you and me kid.” He replied, winking.

“OK.”

***

“You are letting this speech drive you bananas.” CJ said.

“PA is a swing state.” Toby replied. “We are going to be there a lot over the next few months; this speech is crucial. We are in this for real now.”

“I know.”

She picked at her white pizza with shrimp. It was good but CJ had a lot on her mind. Toby had no problem scarfing down his meat lovers supreme. New England pizza had nothing on Brooklyn but he had to eat something. CJ stretched her arms high above her head and Toby could not help but admire her slim torso and flat tummy. She needed a tan.

“No more finances, swear to God. I've gone through twice with a fine toothed comb and then Larry and I went through again. The Governor is squeaky clean. I am done.”

“What are you doing this weekend?”

“Leo is taking me to New York.”

“What?”

Toby put his chair on all four legs. He had been leaning back, eyes closed, pen in mouth and legal pad resting on his chest. He took a healthy pull of his mediocre beer.

“He is going for campaign contributions and asked me to tag along?”

“Why?”

“Well, firstly its not like I haven’t done it before. Secondly, I can't take Manchester for another fucking minute. I grew up in a town like this…I had no intention of returning.”

“No offense, but this place brings words like idyllic to mind. Dayton does not.”

“Shut up. I miss dirty air, honking horns, and overpriced restaurants. Well, they have overpriced restaurants here. Idyllic has its price. I need radio stations that play songs that came out after Mr. Mister broke up.”

Toby smirked.

“So Leo just invited you?” he asked.

“I'm sure it is not all out of the kindness of his heart.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I am going to dress up and schmooze with men. A woman’s touch could add a zero or two to a check.”

“Yeah. Is it an overnight trip?”

“Yeah. A nice hotel sounds good too. Chocolates on my pillow, Terry cloth robe, and free cable. The lap of luxury Tobus.”

“Steal me a robe.” He said. “You are going to stay with Leo? In the same room?”

“He only booked one. I think…” CJ paused, narrowing her dark blue eyes at him. “You better not be saying what I think you are saying.”

“I didn’t say anything.” Toby replied.

“You didn't say anything? I'm not stupid; I got your meaning. I am not sleeping with Leo. This is business.”

“It’s a campaign CJ, and we both know what happens. You are around the same people day after day. Campaign buses, late nights, loneliness, shitty motels, and more than the requisite amount of alcohol. It adds up to…”

“Leo doesn’t drink, and he is married Toby.”

“You're fighting me. Leo is separated; as good as divorced come Election Day. And he is attracted to you.”

“What are you talking about?”

CJ sat up straighter and paid attention. She thought she did a good job of keeping her crush on Leo McGarry a secret. From the moment they shook hands, the former Secretary of Labor had been on her radar. He did not seem to pay her any more attention than he did the boys. In fact sometimes she was sure he was a male chauvinist pig and she wanted nothing to do with him. They were a different generation…Leo was 20 years older than she was if he was a day.

“I see the way he looks at you; the look is familiar. Even more I see the way you look back at him. The feelings are shared.”

“Whatever. Leo and I are barely friends. Don’t start saying things like this and get people’s tongues wagging around here are we clear? This New York thing is strictly business.”

***

Leo tapped on CJ’s motel door at 7:45am. She opened it and he smiled. She was dressed in white lounge pants and an AC/DC Highway to Hell baby doll tee. There was enough of her midriff exposed to drive Leo bonkers.

“I’ll be ready in a second.” She said as she rushed around the room.

“No problem. Should I take this bag?”

“Yeah, and the dress bag too. Seriously Leo, just give me five OK?”

“A minute ago it was a second.” Leo mumbled. “I’ll just take these to the car.”

As Leo walked down, Sam walked up. He had been jogging.

“G’morning Sam.”

“Hey Leo. Where are you off to?”

“New York to see some contributors. CJ is going along for the ride.”

“Sounds fun, have a nice weekend.”

“We’ll be back tomorrow night.”

CJ came running out of the room. She smiled.

“Hey there Spanky.”

“Have fun in the Big Apple.”

“Can you recommend any nice restaurants? I've lived on the West Coast too long.” CJ’s eyes followed Leo down to the car.

“Believe me; Leo knows all the good places. You two should have a nice time.”

“This is business Sam, that’s all.”

“OK. See ya tomorrow.”

CJ went to the car and climbed in. She buckled her seatbelt as Leo pulled out of the lot.

“Sorry about running late. I was up late last night with Toby and then hit off instead of snooze this morning. What a mess.”

“Its fine, we haven’t gotten too far off schedule. We should be there by one, one thirty. The meeting is not until three. I thought I would swing by Dunkin Donuts for coffee.”

“Good idea; I don’t think I am fully functioning. I have been considering getting an IV and just having the caffeine drip into my body like morphine. Mind if I smoke?”

“I thought you quit.” Leo replied.

“Mind if I smoke?”

“CJ…”

“My parole officer lives in Dayton Leo.” She cracked the window. “I get stressed and fall back on old vices.”

“Hey.” He put his hand on her arm. “I am never going to judge you for your vices. I smoke too and I have no room to judge anyone.”

“Well I am definitely never going to throw that in your face.”

“Then we’re good.”

“Yeah.” CJ lit one, offering one to Leo. He declined. “I'm glad you asked me to come along. I know its mostly to be eye candy, but hell I can't tell you the last time I was even that.”

“You are more than that. You have plenty of substantive things to contribute to the conversation. The eye candy…it’s a bonus.”

“You're gonna check me out?” she asked, grinning.

Leo pulled into the Dunkin Donuts drive thru. 

“No comment. Seriously, I don't need to be slapped.”

“I thought you might enjoy being slapped around a bit Leopold.”

“I probably would.” He whispered.

They did not talk much on the road and CJ dealt with an hour of NPR before sighing so loud Leo thought she was having an asthma attack.

“What's the matter?” he asked.

“I can't take this anymore. Can we please listen to some real music?”

“What?”

“Real music Leo, you know…lyrics, melody, background singers. I like NPR as much as the next girl, probably more so, but not today. Today is my technical day off and it is a rock and roll day.”

Leo groaned.

“I don’t want to hear anything too weird.”

“Shush, you'll be fine.”

CJ fiddled around with the radio until she found AC/DC. She loved the song and couldn’t help but sing along.

She was a fast machine  
She kept her motor clean  
She was the best damn woman that I've ever seen  
She had the sightless eyes  
Telling me no lies  
Knocking me out with those American thighs  
Taking more than her share  
Had me fighting for air  
She told me to come but I was already there…

It shocked her a bit when Leo picked up and they sang the whole song as a duet. As it ended she just laughed. Leo wanted to know what was so funny.

“You? AC/DC Leo? C’mon that is a shocker.”

“I am not a stick in the mud Claudia Jean. I like to have fun too.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” He gave her arm a gentle nudge. “I used to tear it up in my time; the Governor can tell you. I loved booze, women, cars, and rock and roll.”

“Tell me more.”

“It was the 60s, before I went to Vietnam. Hell, even when I came back and was drunk out of my mind most of the time, there are moments. I like to have fun.”

“Me too. Let’s have fun together; on this trip.”

“Yeah.” He stole a glance at her. “How old were you when that album came out?”

“Almost 15. I remember the album cover and the day my brother Kevin brought it home. He was a big heavy metal fan and we stole all his records.”

“15, Jesus. I'm getting old.”

“Beats the alternative. My Uncle Fred used to always say that.”

“I have to agree that it does indeed.”

They were quiet for a while as Def Leppard sang.

“Leo?”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you pick me?”

“You said you wanted a break.” He replied.

“No…for Bartlet for America?”

“Oh, well Toby said so. We needed someone…”

“The press is following us now; the Governor is getting a lot of questions. Our numbers are picking up…we need a PR person.”

It was a rainy Tuesday and Leo sat in his office with a cigarette looking over the speech Toby had just written. It was another VFW thing. They had to get the hell out of New Hampshire.

“I have a friend in the field.” Toby replied.

“Is he good? Toby, I won't let this turn into amateur hour. We got Josh now, and he is bringing in another good speechwriter to help you design the message. This guy has to be good.”

“She is the best. She has a Masters in Public Relations and she is a poll expert. She works hard and can make a sack of potatoes look good in the paper. She did excellent work for NOW and Emily’s List before going Hollywood. The vultures pay good money for her work.”

“Is she a former girlfriend?” Leo asked.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Because it is a viable question. We don’t need love connection when we are trying to win a nomination. We have enough tension around here. Give her a call.”

“Let me drop in on her. She will do this Leo. I know she will.”

“OK. She ever work a national campaign?”

“No, but neither have you. She is the best.”

“OK, OK. You have 48 hours to get the best on a plane to Manchester. Margaret!”

“Yes?”

“Get Toby a round trip ticket to LA.”

“He was modest in his assessment of your talent.” Leo said.

“Thanks. We have a serious shot Leo. All of this is worth the lack of sleep and overdose of caffeine. There will never be another time like this in my life…we are doing good work.”

“Dobson is a worthy opponent. It will be a bloody fight.”

CJ nodded as she flipped the station. She gasped.

Are you alright? Stop doing that, you are going to make me drive off the road.”

“I love Nat King Cole. I have never heard him on the radio.”

“I love him too. I didn't think he was your style.”

“You don’t know me that well yet. His voice gives me butterflies. This was the first song I ever sang with my mother.”

Smile, though your heart is aching  
Smile, even though its breaking  
When there are clouds, in the sky  
You’ll get by  
Light up you face with gladness  
Hide every trace of sadness  
Although a tear, may be ever so near.

“God, this song makes me want to wrap my arms around you and dance.” Leo mused. “You have to dance whenever you hear his voice.”

“I'm going to hold you to that. Rain check?”

“OK.” He grinned.

The road trip to New York was uneventful. In the hotel suite, Leo checked out the pullout couch.

“I will sleep out here and you can have the bedroom.” He said.

“Don't be silly Leo. I will sleep out here. You have a bad back and you do not need to be sleeping on a couch. I have slept in worse places; I’ll be fine.”

“Have you? I bet there are some stories behind that.”

“Torture could not get some of those stories out of me.” CJ replied laughing. “I am going to freshen up and change.”

“OK. I need to change too.”

“C’mon on the bedroom. I have seen it all before, but you have to promise me if there is something new to see I can take a peek.”

Leo laughed, following behind her.

***

He stood in complete awe of her. Damn if that woman didn’t know how to work a room. She looked amazing in a white floral print skirt and a red tank top. Her red slides added another inch and a half to her frame, but she knew how to use it. CJ knew when to be all business, when to laugh at the jokes, when to make them, when to let herself be touched, when to touch, when to drop the bait, and when to reel them in. She worked that room like as if she were preaching the gospel and passing around a hat. Leo collected four big checks.

“CJ, you have to come back to New York when you have the time.” New York DNC chair Carl Reeves said. “I think I want to run you for Congress.”

“You're too kind Mr. Chairman.” She smiled. “I sell politics, I don’t make it sir.”

“Leo, will we see you at the bar later?” Dean Carpenter asked.

“No, bars are not my hotspot anymore. CJ and I will have a quiet dinner and return to Manchester in the morning. Thank you again for your generosity.”

“Of course. Do give the Governor our best.”

When they were gone CJ flopped down on the couch.

“I can do that all day.” She said.

“You were amazing.” Leo sat beside her. “I think Stephen was so charmed by you he added an extra zero. I am very impressed.”

“I'm glad to hear that. I'm good at what I do Leo, though admittedly getting money out of men is not sweaty work.”

“It is for me.” He laughed. “Seriously, that was an excellent job. The Governor will be pleased.”

“You mentioned a quiet dinner. Where are you taking me McGarry?”

Hell, the hard work was over…Leo deserved a little R & R. He could not remember the last time he had a night off. Not that Leo was very good at letting go of work. He told CJ earlier he knew how to have fun. Maybe it was time to prove it to himself again. The look of mischief in her blue eyes definitely made him want to try.

“Wherever you want.” He replied.

“Are you serious?” she sat up a bit.

“Yeah. I want tonight be a good time for the both of us. We aren’t going to have too many more times like this.”

“That’s a real shame.”

“So I guess we are making this a night to remember.”

“Oh, you're on.”

***

“OK, true story. I was steps away from the 1962 Olympic Luge team.”

“You're lying to me.”

“I am not.”

“What happened?”

“I blew my knee out at the World Championships in Prague. Doc told me there was no way I could heal in time for Salzburg. Four years later I just didn’t want to do it anymore.”

“Wait, how old were you in ’62? You were a bit young.”

“I was 16, getting ready to be the youngest luger in US history to go to the Olympics.” He held up his fist. “Almost in my grasp Claudia Jean.”

“Whoa, you have had an interesting life.”

“What can is say? I'm from Chicago, it’s a requirement.”

“Josh told me you were from Boston.”

“I was born there. My mother remarried when I was 13 and we moved to Chicago. That is how I got into politics…its huge in that town. It gave me another interest when my Olympics dreams were dashed. America won the silver and I kept thinking, years later, if I just would have been there. You know?”

“Leo are you lying to me?”

“About what?”

“All of this? Is your name even Leo McGarry?”

“Of course it is. Leo Thomas McGarry, Jr. And I am telling you the truth; Scout’s honor.” Leo held up two fingers and his hazel eyes sparkled. “Ask the Governor, he will tell you. I taught him how to dance you know, to impress Abbey and her family at some garden party. Two left feet the man has.”

CJ hadn’t laughed so much in a long time. Genuine, belly-shaking laughter.

“What did you teach him?” she asked.

“The Foxtrot, the waltz, and the Twist. Jed’s version of the Twist looked more like the twitch. It took all day.”

The server was back, asking if desert would be ordered. Leo declined, asking for another cup of coffee. CJ wanted coffee too, and a slice of chocolate cake with extra whipped cream. He had taken her to One If by Land, Two If by Sea; it was one of the finest restaurants in the city. There was a candle lit ambience and a beautiful carriage house…CJ heard so many good things about the menu that were confirmed tonight. She had no idea how Leo got a table without reservations and she also didn’t realize how romantic the place was. She felt as if she were on a first date. For about 10 minutes she was uncomfortable, and then Leo broke the ice with his stories.

“I have to say, this restaurant is beautiful.” she said.

“Yeah. I've never been but heard great things about it. I'm glad you like it.”

“The food is top notch. Did you see the wine list, there had to be over 100 there?”

“I find it better these days not to peruse the alcohol menu.”

“Oh right, sorry. Did alcoholism run in your family?”

CJ did not know if this was acceptable conversation. She would find out in a moment… Leo’s body language never failed to give him away.

“My father was; it killed him. My grandfather was and I am sure his father was. I feel blessed and lucky that I didn’t pass it to Mallory. Jenny has enough reason to curse my name.” he cleared his throat. “What about you? I know there has to be some adventures in the life of Claudia Jean Cregg.”

Her grin lit the darkened room. It was even bigger when her cake arrived. She thanked the server.

“Wow, this looks good. Mmm, I love chocolate.”

“Don't change the subject. Give me a good one.”

CJ ate a piece of cake. Then she cut a sliver and fed it to Leo.

“Tell me it is not the most delicious thing to pass your lips.”

“It is good. Now spill it.”

“OK, I got a concussion when I was 16. I ran into an angry tree.”

“What?” Leo laughed. “This has to be good.” He sipped his coffee.

“Growing up in Dayton there was not a lot for us teenagers to do with our time. So we hung out at this shack in the woods, we called it the cabin in the sky. It was an average Thursday; we had beer and some pot, and the Stones on the record player. We were raided by the police and Mike and I, my boyfriend, we were separated in the ensuing hysteria. So I was running through the dark woods, looking behind me, and blammo. I don’t remember much after that except the emergency room.”

“Were you caught?”

“No. My good girl image remained intact. But I did have that concussion and needed eight stitches.” She lifted her hair and Leo could see the faint white scar at her hairline.

“You must have been a handful. The good girl thing, it was just an image.”

“Oh I could be so bad when I wanted to be. Eat some more cake.”

***

“Old Man Thompson’s rose bushes clipped me when I was running from my brother.” CJ pointed to the wound on her inner thigh.

“St. Cecilia’s playground, summer of 1956.” Leo held up his sleeve and she examined his shoulder scar. “Needless to say archery was no longer on the list of camp activities.”

She stood from the couch, turned and pushed her shorts down a bit. They had been back at the hotel for a few hours, telling old stories and comparing wounds.

“Jagged metal edge in Kate Ritter’s Datsun.”

Leo ran her fingers over the scar and noticed CJ shudder.

“That must have been deep.” He said. 

“Almost bled through the seat.”

Leo rolled up his pajama pant leg and CJ looked at his knee with wide eyes.

“ACL, torn in three places. Knee replacement surgery.”

“Holy shit. How long did it take to recover?”

“Dunno. I was drunk most of the time. Average recovery rate when I had the surgery in ’84 was nine months to a year. What else you got?”

CJ put her foot in his lap.

“Check out the sole. Stepped on glass in my flip-flop. You can still see the dent.”

“Yeah.” He caressed her foot. “You have really big feet.”

“Shut up!” she exclaimed, trying to pull her foot back. 

“What are you, an eleven?”

“Cut it out.” She slapped his arm. “I'm six feet tall; I cannot be expected to have small feet. Gimme my foot.”

Leo let it go and she sat on it.

“How did you bust your knee?” she asked.

“Years of beating it up. Luge team, I even played minor league baseball for a couple of years in the 70s. Just wear and tear.”

“You played minor league baseball?”

“Yeah. The Cubs Triple A team. I was damn good.”

“OK, I don’t believe you. You are pulling my leg. What guy were you?”

“Batter. I used to knock them out of the park. All time homerun leader in Chicago Triple A history. I never missed, though I don’t like to brag.”

“How many women did you get into bed with these stories?” CJ asked wearing a cheeky grin.

Leo gasped, feigning horror.

“I am offended Claudia Jean, that you think I would ever do something like that.”

She laughed, reaching out to touch his bare knee. It was Leo’s turn to shudder.

“What's in there?”

“Nuts and bolts and a plastic knee cap. The year I got the surgery was the first year for plastic.”

“Does it still bug you?”

“Now and then. I can tell you when it will rain next.”

“I bet.” She held up her right elbow. “Dayton Valley High School Girl’s Basketball Championships, senior year. We were down by four and there was seven minutes left. They had to take me out in an ambulance in the end. I didn’t even know it was broken until we got to the hospital. My lower and upper arm were separated; the elbow was shot to hell.”

“How could you not feel that?”

“I felt some slight pain but the doctors said the adrenaline rush overpowered most of it.”

“Your scars are highly impressive for a woman, I gotta tell you.” Leo said.

“You are such a sexist.”

“I am not.”

“You are Leo. You are not the guy who thinks women should be barefoot and pregnant, but you are a sexist. You are uncomfortable with strong, authoritative women.”

“I will have you know that I was raised by a mother and have two little sisters. Anyway, I don’t mind when women are aggressive.” He grinned.

“Leo McGarry, you are a dirty old man.”

They both laughed, and then Leo sighed.

“What's the matter?” CJ asked.

“We should call it a night; its after midnight. Are you sure you are going to be alright out here?”

“Yeah. I’ll flip some channels before I pass out.”

“OK. Goodnight CJ.”

He leaned to kiss her cheek. She pulled him back, kissing his mouth. Leo smiled as she stroked his cheek.

“See you in the A.M. Leopold.”

***

CJ heard a thud and muttered expletives before she reached for the lamp. They both squinted and looked at each other. She noticed some more scars on Leo’s naked chest that had not been pointed out during the earlier exploration.

“Hope that wasn’t your bum knee. Are you OK?”

“I didn’t mean to wake you. I was going to sneak and get a bottle of water. I learned the hard way that all hotel suites are not mapped out the same.”

“Oh.”

“I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You said that already, and you didn’t. This couch is horrendous.”

Leo went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle.

“I told you…I should have slept out here.”

“Leo, that’s silly. My body is in a bit better condition than yours.”

“Agreed, but still. C’mon, there is a big bed in there.”

“Really?”

She was already jumping over the couch and following him.

“Why not? It will be like camp.”

“The camp I went to didn’t allow coed bunking.” CJ replied.

“I'm sure you didn’t let that stop you.”

She smiled, climbing into the crisp, cool sheets. Leo sat beside her but didn’t pull up the covers. CJ relaxed against the mounds of pillows.

“What's your excuse for being up at this hour?”

“I suffer from random bouts of insomnia.” He said.

“Do you take medication?”

“No, my addictive personality really prevents that.”

“Yeah. I have trouble sleeping sometimes. When I was a kid my friend Kate and I used to talk ourselves to sleep. Just yap until we fell out.”

“Hmm.” He sipped his water. “What did you talk about?”

“Anything and everything. We mostly overanalyzed movies, books, or soap opera plotlines.”

Leo put the water on the nightstand, turning out the light.

“I haven’t talked in years as much as I have with you tonight.” He said.

“It feels good, doesn’t it? at least for me. I have to admit I find you so interesting. I like that underneath of the Leo McGarry there is a normal man.”

“What is your favorite film?” he asked.

“I have too many to count. I love Hannah and her Sisters but I love Grand Hotel just as much. Anything with Donald Sutherland or Denzel Washington makes my day. I don’t have enough time to watch films anymore; I always got such joy from it.”

“When I was a kid we used to rush out to see the Peter Cushing Dracula films. I used to get a kick out of scaring Josie to tears.”

“Who’s Josie?”

“My sister Josephine. She was a real pain in the ass and I loved getting her back.”

“My brothers did not want to be seen with me, but it was OK. I was a much cooler than them.”

Leo smirked.

“I think sleeping will be OK now.” He said.

“I can say that for sure…this bed is like butter. I owe you one for this.” She yawned.

“Yeah, what do I get?”

“What do you want?” CJ asked.

“The kiss on the couch was nice.”

“Oh, well…” CJ leaned over, kissing his mouth gently.

“I didn’t say that was what I wanted.”

“Well when you figure it out, just wake me up. In fact, wait until morning. Goodnight.”

CJ pulled out some pillows and relaxed on her side.

“C’mere.” Leo pulled her into his arms. “I want to hold you tonight.”

“Are you used to getting what you want?”

“Yes, but I also rise to every challenge. I like to meet things head on.”

“Goodnight Leo.” She kissed him again.

“Goodnight.”

***

CJ stretched out in bed, the sleep leaving her body. It took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust to the light and for her to remember where she was. Leo was gone; she sat up on her elbows. The shower was going so CJ lay down again.

“Wake up CJ.”

“Hmm?”

CJ looked up. Leo was leaning over her smiling.

“What time is it?” she asked.

“Almost ten. I've already been in the shower. I thought you would like breakfast.”

“Room service?” CJ cocked her eyebrow.

“Yeah. Whatever you want.”

He rested both his arms on either side of her, not moving.

“Did you sleep OK?” he asked.

“Yeah. Did you figure out what you wanted?”

“I did.”

CJ looped her arms around him and they shared their first passionate kiss. It felt natural to be in his arms; wonderful to feel his mouth on hers. Leo tasted of Listerine and for just a moment CJ worried that her mouth tasted like last night’s meal. Leo moaned against her mouth as she held him close. Their lips barely parted so they could breathe.

“God, I have wanted that.” Leo sighed when they finally pulled apart.

“Me too.”

“You have?”

“Yes. I don’t want campaign sex though.”

“Campaign sex?” he pulled away some, resting on his elbow and side.

“Oh c’mon Leo, you know how it is on the trail. Lots of late nights, booze, closeness…it happens.”

“Not with me. I do not intend to do something like that. Let’s not darken our time together by talking about that. We should have breakfast and then a nice afternoon.”

CJ smiled, stroking his face.

“Good idea. I need a menu.”

She climbed out of bed and Leo watched her as she found and perused the room service menu. He could watch her all day and night…CJ Cregg was the best kind of distraction. She was much more than that though. She held her own in a room full of strong men, loved a good dirty joke or ribald conversation, had this joyous laugh that made people turn their heads, and everyone liked her. She was smart, funny, kind, and certainly beautiful.

“OK, I am going to take a shower. Order me number six.”

***

“May I state something for the record?” Leo asked.

“Yeah, sure.”

CJ came out of the bedroom wearing only a bathrobe. She flopped on the couch.

“OK, for future reference, in case this ever comes up again, I would like to state for the record, that you kissed me first.”

CJ laughed, slapping the back of the couch.

“What's so funny?”

“For the record Leo? Is this court or an almost free weekend?”

“I'm just saying…”

“What are you saying? Hmm?”

“Well I just wanted to make it clear.” He said.

“Come and sit with me.”

He sat beside her on the couch.

“While I may have kissed you first, you kissed me second, third, and fourth. All of that is inconsequential anyway.”

“It is?”

“Yeah. All that matters is we enjoyed the kissing.”

“I certainly did.”

“Good.”

She pulled him to her again. The knocking on the door bought them out of their passionate embrace.

“Oh goodie, breakfast. I am famished.”

They didn’t talk much over breakfast. Leo split the complimentary New York Times with her; she checked out politics.

“Did the world fall apart in 24 hours?” Leo asked, looking at her over his glasses. He was deep into his crossword.

“Nope, all is not lost. Speaking of lost, I am figuring that you are out of commission for a while.”

“I hardly get time anymore and…”

“Hey, hey, you don’t have to explain to me. This is a day off. I'm going to get dressed and whatever we do, we do. Are you going to eat that bacon?”

“No, go ahead. How the hell do you keep your figure, the way you eat sometimes?”

“Exercise, all things in moderation Leopold. Do your crossword and have a good time.”

She headed into the bedroom, patting his head as she walked by.

“Don’t do that.” he said, not looking up from his paper.

She did it again.

“Claudia Jean…stop it.”

“Make me.”

She went into the bedroom. Leo sat there for a few minutes and then put the newspaper on the table.

***

“Dammit.” CJ muttered.

“What? Am I too heavy? Should I…?”

“Don’t you move.” She took a deep breath and held onto his hips.

Leo turned his head and kissed her repeatedly.

“You owe me $25.” She said.

“I hope you don’t mean in a good for services kind of way.” Leo said, rolling off her and onto the bed.

“No, it is half of the $50 I owe Toby. He told me we were going to have campaign sex.”

“Please don’t call it that. That is a horrible term.”

“Then what is it?” she asked.

“I don’t know, but it is not that. I just…”

“What?”

“CJ, you know how fond I am of you. I like you as more than a public relations guru.”

“I'm fond of you too.”

“I'm still married. I mean, its just on paper, but it is. We can't…if the press…”

“Stop.” She put her hand on his chest. “Friends, OK?”

Leo smiled at her, though he saw the sadness in her eyes as she said it.

“I think we both want more than that.” he said.

“Yeah. But we both want Jed Bartlet to be President more. When the afterglow wears off it will be fine. Now, you owe me at least an hour or two of fun. Let’s take a walk in Central Park and maybe some window-shopping. And you have to feed me.”

“Alright. Funny, I still don’t get to do my crossword.”

CJ laughed, falling back against the pillows. Leo leaned over and kissed her. CJ stroked his face.

“If we don’t move now then we never will.”

She pushed him gently and Leo got out of bed. He took both of CJ’s hands.

“Let’s shower together.” He said.

CJ smiled and they walked into the bathroom hardly able to keep their hands off each other.

***

“If you could have any superpower what would it be?”

“Shit, I never thought about it.”

Leo reached into the bag of Chex mix between them and ate a handful.

“I would be faster than a speeding bullet. I want to be Superman.”

“I think Batman was cooler. He showed human strength and ingenuity. Its raining.”

“I see that. It’s not enough for the wipers yet. Did you read comics as a kid?”

“No, I overdosed on Nancy Drew. My boyfriend Mike used to always say he would only ever love three things: KISS, Batman, and me.”

Leo smiled.

“It sounds like you two were serious.”

“As serious as you can be in high school. I never deluded myself into thinking we would get married or anything but saying I didn't love him would be unfair to him. How about another question?”

“Shoot.”

“Cash, check, or credit card?”

“Huh?”

“Cash, check, or credit card? That’s the question.”

“I prefer cash, but have gotten used to credit cards. My accountant handles all checks. I have a question for you.”

“OK.”

“What did you want to be when you were little?”

“Dan Rather. I wanted to go all over the world and report the important things that were happening. I had this tape recorder with a microphone and I carried it wherever I went. My father got so sick of me asking questions. My friend Kate and I started a newspaper in my garage.”

“Sounds fun.”

“It was. What were you like as a kid?”

“That was a long time ago. Most of it is bits and pieces. Sounds, smells, feelings when I hear something or look at something. I remember music and kids running in the street. I remember my sister Elizabeth used to get chronic nosebleeds. My mom learned to make banana bread with our neighbor, Mrs. Krumholtz. I remember watching the men stagger out of the pub on the corner from my bedroom window. Everything is jagged.”

“Was your childhood unhappy?” CJ asked.

“No, I don’t think so. My parents fought a lot. So did everyone else’s. Some days I feel as if I were born an adult. Ask me another question.”

“If you could change one thing about your appearance, what would it be?”

“Two things. I would be taller and have more hair.”

“I would be shorter.”

“Why?”

“I'm an Amazon Leo.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You are a beautiful woman.”

“Leo…”

“No, seriously. Everything about you is beautiful, height included. Fuck whoever tells you different.”

They were quiet for a while. Leo took a deep breath as he focused on the road. It was time to put on the windshield wipers and lights. He slowed the rented Buick to 60 as they heard the rumble of thunder.

“We are driving right into the storm.” Leo muttered.

“Are you OK to drive? I can take over if you'd like.”

“I have been driving since before you were born. I have this under control.”

“There is that thing again. You never give up the wheel, do you? You never give up anything.”

“I am not being…OK you want to drive. I will pull over right now so you can drive.”

“Shut up and drive you incorrigible old coot.”

For some reason that cracked Leo up. His infectious laughter captured her and they were both hysterical. Leo shook his head as he finally came down.

“Being called an old fart never sounded so endearing.” He said.

“Coot. Its about 2 ladder rungs above a fart.”

“Semantics.”

“Stop it, you sound like Toby.”

“We can't have that, now can we?”

“Definitely not. Uh uh.”

“I had a great time this weekend.”

“Me too Leo. Sometimes you forget how much you’ve given up for this dream.”

“It'll be even more when we get to the White House. But we will lean on each other when we have to.”

“You and me?” CJ asked.

“I meant all of us. But definitely you and me.”

“Leo, we are in New England now.”

“So?”

“We said…”

“I know what we said. I do.”

“Hey, lets listen to some music.”

So they sang the songs on the radio and ignored the inferno raging between them. CJ smoked too many cigarettes and Leo was a bit too quiet in the gaps. Over the next couple of weeks everyone watched them closely but saw no sign that anything had changed. They still flirted, and they still fought. He walked her home every night but never even held her hand. She would call him when she couldn’t sleep and he would talk to her until she fell. Two months later when they collided again in Philly, both were taken by surprise.

“This is going to be a thing.” She said.

CJ was in his arms and had no desire to move.

“I think this could be a thing.”

“What are we going to do about it?”

“Handle it like the rational adults that we are. I don’t want to pretend it is not happening. I'm not a young man CJ, and it has been so long since I felt so alive. Not even the campaign made me feel like this does.”

“I feel good too.”

They kissed and held each other tighter.

“We will do the right thing.” He whispered into her hair as they fell asleep.

“As long as that doesn’t entail leaving you, I think we will.”

He could not promise her anything. The campaign came first. She knew that; it came first for her too. This was also not real life. It would be easy to conduct a love affair in this bubble. What waited outside was the true test. His estranged wife, the significant age difference, his addictions, California, and her job prospects if they didn’t win. Leo wanted to stay in his fantasy for just a while longer. Winning an election would make what he wanted with her almost impossible. A romance in the White House…they were both dreaming. A knock on the door roused them from their sleepy thoughts. CJ nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Hey, we’re adults. Its OK.” He said.

“Are you going to get rid of them?”

“I'm going to do my absolute best.”

“Leo.” Jed Bartlet called. “Leo, let me in. I can't sleep.”

“Great.” He muttered. “Welcome to my world Claudia Jean.”

“Go. I’ll be here when you get back.”

“That is something I could get used to hearing.”

Leo pulled her closer, kissed her, and got out of bed. Let the games begin.

***


End file.
